Family: Nepticulidae ABH 4.060 B&F 84     *     Stigmella ruficapitella Leaf mine photographs on Oak, Quercus. October 2011 Wingspan: 4.5-6mm. The most frequent of several similar species Flight time: Two generations, May-June and July-August Food plant: Oak (Quercus) Mine: June-July and September-October Egg usually upperside, often near margin. The mine is initially narrow with thin frass then widens into a broad corridor with broad, sometimes locally coiled, frass. Larvae are yellow with light brown heads. Similar: Stigmella atricapitella. Yellow larva

Stigmella ruficapitella
Leaf mine on Oak, Quercus. Ballingeary, Co. Cork, SW Ireland. 2011